A homemade Oktoberfest reinvented in our own way!

What exactly is Oktoberfest?

Before giving you ideas for activities and recipes to celebrate Oktoberfest in Quebec, let's go back to basics and understand where this event comes from. It was on October 12, 1810 in Munich that the very first October festival took place to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Louis, the future Louis I, and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festivities, to which all citizens of Munich were also invited, ended with a horse race which lasted several days. It was decided to repeat the race the following year and thus the tradition of Oktoberfest was born. To this day, Oktoberfest is a traditional German festival that lasts 16 to 18 days and where beers, traditional foods, games and dances take place. More than six million people from all over the world gather in Munich every year for this festival. That's just to count Munich, as Oktoberfest is a holiday celebrated across the world.

How to celebrate Oktoberfest at home?

Even if you're not in Germany, why not celebrate Oktoberfest your way and bring this event into your kitchen, with your friends and family? The traditional cuisine of this celebration features foods such as sausages, roast beef , roast pork, potatoes, sauerkraut, pretzels, etc. All this, accompanied by beers that you can taste. Beer is, in fact, very present during this celebration! Oktoberfest is even known in French-speaking countries as the “beer festival”. We therefore offer you some ideas to celebrate the October holiday, while being in the comfort of your home!

You could prepare an Oktoberfest style dinner with your friends and family. Prepare a traditional feast, get some German beers and put on some traditional songs to get in the mood! All that will be left to do is to clink glasses and say “Ein Prosit”, as the Germans would say when making a toast!

If the weather is nice outside, why not turn this dinner into a fall barbecue? Artisanal sausages and barbecue potatoes with sauerkraut and that's it.

“ Artisanal sausages ” caught your attention? Tast some original sausages! Beer sausages, sausages with bacon and cheddar curds, sausages with shallots and white wine, the possibilities are endless…

Do you already invite your friends over to watch football on Sunday? Add a touch of Oktoberfest with a typical meal. The beer will probably already be there for the football 😉 ...all that remains is to prepare pork burgers, or roast chicken, or even hot dogs with artisanal sausages (see recipe below) .

You might also want to go out for a beer at a microbrewery for the occasion. Why not have a happy hour before going out with a charcuterie board and cheese? What's better than a good 5 à 7 at home before going to enjoy a good glass of beer. We even have a “ Aperitif Essentials ” themed box, if you like our idea of ​​5 to 7

No matter what activity you want to do, it is possible to celebrate this traditional German festival, while integrating it into Quebec culture!

Reinvented recipe ideas for Oktoberfest

We know that Oktoberfest is a celebration that has lasted for more than 200 years and still honors several culinary traditions to this day. However, this does not mean that we cannot adapt these typical dishes to current tastes. Here are three meal ideas that you could prepare that will allow you to maintain the traditional side, while impressing your guests with your originality. 

Hot dog with artisanal sausage and brioche bread

Sausages, pretzels and sauerkraut are three typical Oktoberfest foods. We therefore suggest that you combine them to make a dish well known to Quebecers: hot dogs.

Ingredients

• 4 artisanal sausages of your choice
• 4 brioche hot dog buns
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. tsp olive oil
• 300 g of coleslaw

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Boil the sausages for 7 minutes, then grill them in a pan or barbecue over medium-high heat for about 1 or 2 minutes per side.
3. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, cider vinegar and oil. Pepper to taste. Add the dressing to the coleslaw.
4. Toast the buns in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown.
5. Place a sausage in each pretzel bun and top with coleslaw.
6. Add a drizzle of Dijon mustard if desired.

Pork tenderloin and maple caramelized bacon

This recipe may seem complicated at first, but make no mistake, it will become very simple thanks to our offer. We offer you ready-made pork and bacon medallions available on our online store!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup apple jelly
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 C. tablespoon pork seasoning
• 4 medallions of pork and bacon (around 700g)

Preparation

1. Preheat the barbecue to medium-high power.
2. In a bowl, mix the apple jelly with the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and pork seasoning.
3. Pepper the pork and bacon medallions and brush them with a little apple jelly mixture.
4. Place the medallions on an oiled aluminum tray. Brush the medallions once again with the apple jelly mixture.
5. Place the aluminum tray on the hot barbecue grill. Close the lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, brushing the medallions with the remaining apple jelly mixture.
6. Remove the pork medallions from the barbecue and place them on a plate. Cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Accompanying ideas: Vegetable foil packet (carrots, onions, potatoes, etc.) that you can also cook on the barbecue in a large sheet of sturdy aluminum foil.

Grass-fed round roast beef with red beer and portobello jus

Grass-fed beef and beer combined in one recipe, what could be better honestly? 

Ingredients

• A grass-fed round roast beef
• 500ml light red beer (why not have a local beer?)
• 2 tbsp. tbsp brown sugar
• 1 C. teaspoon salty spices from Bas-du-Fleuve
• 1 C. tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 C. tablespoon of whole-grain mustard
• 1/4 tsp. teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon of butter
• 200g portobello mushrooms (about 4 large)
• 1 cup hot chicken broth
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Place the roast in a large airtight bag then add 1 1/4 cups of beer, brown sugar and salty spices. Mix and place in the fridge overnight. Return from time to time.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. In a bowl, combine the mustards, garlic powder and onion powder, then set aside.
4. Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with foil and place the rack on top. Place the roast on the grill, pour the marinade juices into the bottom of the roasting pan and add 1 cup of water. Generously season the roast with salt and pepper on all sides, then brush with the mustard mixture.
5. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 135°F for rare or 145°F for rare. Remove from the oven, cover the roast with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into thin slices. Strain the juice from the bottom of the roasting pan and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the portobello juice. In a large skillet over high heat, add the butter and portobellos, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Sauté the mushrooms for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring.
8. Deglaze with the rest of the beer and scrape the bottom well to get all the flavors. Add the chicken broth, the juice from the bottom of the roasting pan then salt and pepper.
9. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Serve on the roast without moderation!

Baked sausage tray

Ingredients

Ultimately, Oktoberfest gives you the opportunity to share beautiful moments and good meals with your family and friends. We want to contribute to the creation of these delicious meals and that is why we are offering you a beautiful “Oktoberfest” themed box which will allow you to make the recipes proposed above and even more! With this box, you can celebrate a traditional German festival, while eating local and responsibly! Visit our online store to discover it right here !